3-D Technical Services
TRLCD05 Endoscopic/Laparoscopic Trainer (937) 746-2901 www.3-Dmed.com
List Price: $1,975 Practice in a safe environment. Developing surgical skills takes years of meticulous practice. The TRLCD05 minimally invasive surgical trainer provides a controlled safe environment for surgeons to develop endoscopic and laparoscopic hand-eye coordination. 3-D Technical Services says its trainer is self-contained, includes a simulated laparoscope (camera stick), built in monitor and large work area. The TRLCD05 also features 14 ports for maximum camera set-up flexibility.

ACMI Corporation
Invisio Flexible CystoNephroscope
(888) 524-7266
www.acmicorp.com
List Price: Not provided

An advanced digital cystonephroscope. If you want a better image in a cystonephroscope, the Invisio Flexible CystoNephroscope from ACMI Corporation might be a good choice. The fully integrated digital flexible endoscope requires one cable and one connection, which resists damage and enhances the image, the manufacturer says. The ICN is the smallest flexible cystonephroscope available, according to ACMI, and eliminates the light source, light cable and camera by putting the microcamera on the scope's distal end. It uses LED technology, generating less heat and lasting longer than conventional light sources. The site-upgradeable software built into the system automates operation to make this digital flexible endoscope easy to use and highly durable, ACMI says.

Arthrocare
Parallax Integrated Delivery System
(877) 620-BACK
www.arthrocare.com
List Price: $484

Mix and deliver cement with ease. Arthrocare has developed the Parallax Integrated Delivery System, a fully enclosed cement cartridge using state-of-the-art technology to effectively mix and deliver cement into a reservoir ready for injection into your patient's vertebrae during vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures. The cement cartridge contains precise amounts of monomer and polymer as well as a mating reservoir. The cartridge locks into the Parallax IDS reservoir and through a plunging motion fills the reservoir with cement ready for injection, says the company. Delivering a consistent mix each time, it virtually eliminates OR staff exposure to toxic monomer fumes.

Barrx Medical
HALO360 System
(888) 66-BARRX
www.barrx.com
List Price: Not provided

Ablation of Barrett's esophagus. Barrx Medical offers the HALO360 energy generator and ablation catheter, a system designed to remove Barrett's tissue before it develops into cancer. Effective removal of Barrett's esophagus may reduce the need for life-long endoscopic surveillance and could reduce the number of patients who develop esophageal disease, according to Barrx Medical. The HALO360 energy generator delivers a rapid burst of ablation energy, which removes a thin layer of the diseased esophagus, says the manufacturer. The procedure is performed without incisions using conscious sedation.

Bovie Medical
Bovie Button
(800) 537-2790
www.boviemedical.com
List Price: $22 each

Eliminate foot pedals. Are your surgeons experiencing difficulty locating the foot pedal during GI procedures in darkened procedure rooms? The Bovie Button could be the answer. It is a sterile, single-use remote hand switch designed to eliminate the foot petals and cables associated with standard electrosurgical generators, according to Bovie Medical. The Bovie Button provides an alternative to the use of footswitch control to deliver radiofrequency energy to an attached monopolar accessory, is compatible with most snares and eliminates the need for the generator's active cord, says the manufacturer.

ConMed Electrosurgery
System 2450 Electrosurgical Generator
(800) 448-6506
www.conmed.com
List Price: $10,000

Backup power. The System 2450 is a full-powered generator geared for general surgery cases and outpatient surgery centers. ConMed says surgeons can choose from two options in every major mode to ensure smooth cutting, powerful coagulation and precise bipolar dissection. Delivery of the unit's power is controlled by Dynamic Response technology, according to ConMed, which reacts to changes in tissue in less than 10 milliseconds. This limits the chance of thermal damage to surrounding tissue, says the manufacturer.

Encision
enTouch AEM Laparoscopic Instruments
(800) 998-0986
www.encision.com
List Price: Not provided

Better haptic feedback. The enTouch family is the first to combine AEM technology with haptic feedback, says Encision. The improved ergonomics of the enTouch handles - which are available on the company's articulating instruments - afford the surgeon a sleek, lightweight design for smooth operation; optimal force transfer with less hand fatigue; and sensory synchronization for more predictable control. The incorporation of AEM technology into the instruments helps to prevent stray electrosurgical burns.

Fujinon Inc.
EPX-4400
(800) 490-0661
www.fujinonendoscopy.com
List Price: $34,000 for the basic configuration

FICE as nice. A new, fully digital endoscope, the EPX-4400 features the company's Fuji Intelligent Color Enhancement and High Definition imaging. The FICE feature allows for multiple presets that provide enhanced contrast of tissue structure, says Fujinon. The company says this precision may result in improved endoscopic outcomes. Fully digital, the EPX-4400 consists of the VP-4400 Video Processor and XL-4400 Light Source and is compatible with Fujinon's 400 Series endoscopes.

Gore Medical
Bioabsorbable Hernia Plug
(800) 528-8763
www.goremedical.com
List Price: $460, 2 units per package

One-hundred percent bioabsorbable. Unlike mesh, which causes a foreign body response, this plug is 100 percent bioabsorbable and easily tailored to fit any defect. When mesh walls off a hernia and lets scar tissue form, that area could become infected. Gore Medical's plug promotes tissue ingrowth by becoming absorbed by the tissue that surrounds the repaired hernia. The absorbed plug then disappears in six months, leaving a defect healed with native tissue.

Karl Storz
Flex-X2 Uretero-Reno-Fiberscopes
(800) 421-0837
www.karlstorz.com
List Price: Not provided

Laser resistant tip protection. The Flex-X2 features a laser-resistant distal tip that helps resolve scope damage caused by laser burns and a crush-resistant shaft, therefore reducing unnecessary downtime due to scope repairs, according to Karl Storz. A 270-degree up-and-down deflection with intuitive single-lever control enhances complex navigation, says the company.

Megadyne
Electrosurgical E-Z Pen
(800) 747-6110
www.megadyne.com
List Price: About $1 per use, when used in all surgical procedures

Lightweight and cost-effective. E-Z Pen reusable (12-use lifespan) electrosurgical pencils are lightweight and ergonomically designed for comfortable handling, says Megadyne. The pencils come with a 10-foot, kink-resistant cord and feature E-Z Clean non-stick tips. The tips decrease thermal necrosis and cleaning is easier and less frequent, meaning surgeons can operate more efficiently and effectively.

Megadyne
Mega Power Electrosurgical Generator
(800) 747-6110
www.megadyne.com
List Price: $9,999

Accurate cutting at low power settings. An easy-to-use system requiring minimal adjustments of the OR staff, the Mega Power Electrosurgical Generator offers preset power mode settings and large displays. Its unique advanced cutting effect mode delivers scalpel-like cutting effect for minimal thermal necrosis and reduced scarring, says Megadyne. The Mega Power monitors tissue impedance and adjusts power output to reduce tissue drag for clean, accurate cutting at the lowest possible settings, according to the company.

Megadyne
PTFE-coated electrosurgical tips
(800) 747-6110
www.megadyne.com
List Price: $180 each. They last, on average, 20 to 30 cases depending on care and handling, making the cost per procedure between $6 and $9

Longer length, non-stick, disposable electrode. For bariatric procedures where additional length is needed, such as gastric bypass and gastric banding, Megadyne offers what it bills as the first 45cm disposable laparoscopic electrode with a patented PTFE-coated electrosurgical tip. The 45cm electrodes come in four tip configurations - curved, L-hook, J-hook and L-wire - and have the company's patented E-Z Clean, a green non-stick coating. The E-Z Clean tips minimize eschar buildup and are used with a lower power setting, which reduces excess smoke and thermal necrosis, Megadyne says.

Micromedics
FibriJet Applicator
(800) 624-5662
www.micromedics-usa.com
List Price: Not provided

Gas-assisted application. Rigid, single-use biomaterials applicators deliver two liquid components to laparoscopic wound sites. The FibriJet Gas Assisted Applicators mix and disperse combined components in thin, even layers, and spray output is adjustable from coarse to fine droplet size, says Micromedics. According to the company, each applicator kit is comprised of two syringes, one syringe holder, one plunger link, one spray tip, gas inlet tubing with sterile filter and one procedure tray with removable medicine cups.

Olympus Surgical America
Evis Exera II
(800) 548-5515
www.olympussurgical.com
List Price: $22,000

High-def for endo. The Evis Exera II is the only high-definition universal platform designed for surgical endoscopic applications, says Olympus. The system combines 1080i HD image processing with Narrow Band Imaging technology to enhance visualization during gastrointestinal procedures. Evis Exera II is also the only system that introduces a fully integrated HD system throughout the entire imaging chain.

Spectrum Surgical Instruments
Scope Protection Sleeve
(800) 444-5644
www.spectrumsurgical.com
List Price: Scope sleeves cost $13.31 each; bottles of cleaner list for $17.69 each

To protect and clean rigid scopes. These reusable protection sleeves made of an autoclavable blue polymer protect rigid scopes 5mm in diameter and smaller from shaft and lens damage. To accommodate longer scopes, attach two (or more) sleeves to one another. The company's Rigid Scope Lens Cleaner is designed for distal and proximal lenses.

US Endoscopy
BioShield Biopsy Valves
(800) 769-8226
www.usendoscopy.com
List Price: Ranges from $80 to $250 per box

Protection against biomaterial. Made for Pentax scopes, BioShield biopsy valves aim to minimize leakage and back flow of body fluids from the scope's accessory channel, says US Endoscopy. This built-in safety measure protects surgeons and staff from exposure to biomaterial during procedures. The BioShield also features an attached irrigation line for quick irrigation during cases. All accessories for the scope are disposable, reducing the possibility of cross-contamination between patients.